BlackBerry unveils Passport smartphone, available today

BlackBerry on Wednesday officially launched its Passport smartphone as it looks to mount yet another attempt at a comeback.

The BlackBerry Passport has a unique shape with its square display.
CNET

The Passport is available today through its website, ShopBlackBerry.com and through Amazon. In the US, it will sell for $599 without a wireless service contract, $699 in Canada, 649 euros in France and German, and £529 in the UK.

BlackBerry said AT&T would sell the smartphone, but didn't give a specific date of availability.

The Passport represents BlackBerry's latest shot at reviving its struggling smartphone business, which has faded over the last several years as consumers increasingly switched to Apple's iPhone and Android smartphones.

With a 4.5-inch square display and a touch-sensitive physical keyboard, the Passport stands out as a unique-looking product. BlackBerry hopes that will help attract curious customers who miss their physical keyboards, but still prefer a larger display.